WFH and the new normal ? Happy, sad, indifferent ?

[Jody]

My luck continues but must run out soon!

I'm currently being employed and paid by a French company.

I'm being paid full wages to be on standby, they will let me know when I'm needed. Being as the job is working in a ski chalet I'm not expecting them to need me any time soon (though I understand the French are making announcements tonight so maybe......)

[Noggin]

My luck continues but must run out soon!

I'm currently being employed and paid by a French company.

I'm being paid full wages to be on standby, they will let me know when I'm needed. Being as the job is working in a ski chalet I'm not expecting them to need me any time soon (though I understand the French are making announcements tonight so maybe......)

If you can get out here, would you be able to claim unemployment?

[Taff]

last year was split into 3 distinct phases,

Jan - March was a mix of office, wfh and travel to other offices.
March - Sept - 100% WFH
Sept - Dec - 100% in office

this year has now kicked off with schools closed so I'm babysitting and wfh until brat goes back to school. being at home does give me more flexibility to do overtime so the taxman is winning

Given the option my preference would be 3 in office, 2 at home.

[Jody]

My luck continues but must run out soon!

I'm currently being employed and paid by a French company.

I'm being paid full wages to be on standby, they will let me know when I'm needed. Being as the job is working in a ski chalet I'm not expecting them to need me any time soon (though I understand the French are making announcements tonight so maybe......)

If you can get out here, would you be able to claim unemployment?

I was claiming chomage anyway, but obvs stopped when my contract started. I still have 200 ish days of chomage available.

[demographic]

I bought some long screwdriver bits the other day but they're nothing like long enough for me to work from home.
Still on site although I'm taking a couple of weeks off (starting this Monday) to do work on my house.

I could continue at work but I do need to do some work at home anyway so this time seems as good a time as any.

[Taipan]

I'd never really worked from home before until the first lockdown and despite liking going into work, I've got used to it and even enjoy most of the time. I watch a film or something and fight off my Jack Russell multiple times and the time flies by. Its a PITA if my wife is at home though, as she doesn't understand I have to actually work and pesters me to go shopping or do some diy!

After the lockdown my furlough was reduced to 2 days a week and I was working mon,weds and Friday which was lovely. Today i received the news that I'll be wfh until at least mid February and tbh I'm gutted. After a massive dispute with our SMT, which went to arbitration with HR and the Unions, it went in my favour and resulted in my getting a rewritten job description which is a total fecking dream for me and i'm really back to loving what I do! So, I'm going to really miss the ride into London and being in my little studio.

Onwards and upwards it is. Oi, Jack Russell, parry, lunge...

[Wreckless Rat]

Worked at home (mainly) for 10-15 yrs or more.... it’s made little difference to me bar everyone is now happier to do video meetings saving me from having to go to London for pointless face to face meetings that can be done via tech.

Sad for my daughter who misses school and her friends - kids need socialisation more than adults.

[Mr Moofo]

Currently Retired at Home ( early retired) but it’s been a lot duller than planned.
However as I had a global job, I think that would have been dull as well, as I would have gone anywhere for 12 months ...

[KungFooBob]

Started a new job on the 17th of Dec.

Got told today I can work from home... but the office will be open as it's part of the DC that will be open to fulfil orders. It's only 7 miles and there'll be bugger all traffic, I might as well go to the office.

[Scud]

Being self employed and working as a window cleaner 4 days a week and market trader for 2 days I don’t get the option to wfh.
Everything carries on as normal for me, couldn’t trade on the markets in first lockdown, lost a small fortune as springtime is a good earner on plants.

[DefTrap]

Worked from home 85% for as long as I can remember, started when it was relatively rare. So there was no adjustment period for me when they closed HQ in march. I do really miss that 15% though, I insisted on it when I first started as I strongly believe at least some f2f is really valuable.

The main difference to me is that WFH now including 'everybody else' has been a great equaliser. They don't get to not gaf when: Comms break down; remote it support goes well; devices screw up and you can't just move to another desk.

[Yorick]

I'm the 'what's work' vote. Yorick will be along shortly to boost the number/s.

I've just cleaned the pool.

[Couchy]

Haven’t had to WFH as my office is a short drive or cycle. Wife is WFH and hates it as she likes people and being at work face to face. She’s expressed this to her work already and let them know if it’s permanent she’ll be looking to leave. Luckily she only works three days a week so I’m sure they’ll come to an agreement when they can.
What I do hate though is isolating and covid, 9 days in now and still feel like shit. Wife and daughter are on with it but it’s got me tbh

[Bigyin]

Completely unable to work from home so i'm fucked as cant go to work either as DVSA has shut us down from all training despite being able to train CBT's without test centres and socially distanced

As i only started self employed last January i dont qualify for any financial assistance from govt so in the last 3 months i have only managed to earn 3 weeks with nothing coming in for the next 4-6 weeks minimum

I am already looking round for any short term work to keep things going as i only have my pension as income which i know i am lucky to have as it keeps me going but running at a loss as opposed to making a profit to the bank balance

[Docca]

I have a job and I have a home, so I have to count my blessings.

That said, I’m not really working from home but living at work. I try and get out every day but it’s a challenge.

During the summer it was fun because I could have meetings in the woods on the MTB. Now it’s cold and wet and I can’t see the screens.

Couple of other hates:

- I too miss commuting. The down time both ways was worth the drive/ride. 45 minutes each way for me but I’ll never moan about that again.


- with all meetings virtual you miss the corridor conversations and those actions that could be knocked up and closed over a coffee next to the printer. Now every single meeting has to be scheduled you don’t get that impulsivity. You can just call people , but chances are they’ll be in a meeting.

- meetings. Used to factor in a quick walk around the block or even a stretch of the legs to go and talk footy with Barry from accounts for find minutes. Now it’s back to back to back. Most days I go without lunch and breakfast.

- we tried scheduling in 50minute meetings instead of an hour to give folk headspace between meetings. Now you just get called with ‘ I see you’re free for ten minutes ...’


The highlight is using a different VC platform. We predominantly use Teams, but occasionally zoom, google hangout and Attend Anywhere. The backdrop thing got tiring in April ...

[exportman]

Normally I have a mixture of WFH an office near Manchester Airport and travelling to our other offices/warehouses a round the UK. Beginning of March we were sent to WFH unless we needed to be on company premises ( warehouse workers drivers etc) During the summer I did make a few essential visits to our places around the UK but very few.

WFH emphasised again by the board so I guess I will be doing so for a while again.

I do miss travelling around, even the commute to Manchester Office 30 mins on the bike. Only ridden 2000 miles in the last 12 months and a little over 5000 in the car I normally manage around 25 to 30K combined. Saved a fortune on fuel so I guess every cloud has a silver lining

[Scotsrich]

I voted ‘Work , what’s that?’ although I’m getting bored I have to say.

But still preferable to delivering milk in winter

[wheelnut]

At first everyone thought WFH was great, no commuting etc, but there’s no separation between work and home. Humans are social creatures and we need the separation of work/home and we need to see other faces.

There is a reason that we used to congregate in offices to work and, on the whole, I think we’ll go back to doing it once this shitstorm has subsided, even if it’s s split time between home and office.

[weeksy]

At first everyone thought WFH was great, no commuting etc, but there’s no separation between work and home. Humans are social creatures and we need the separation of work/home and we need to see other faces.

There is a reason that we used to congregate in offices to work and, on the whole, I think we’ll go back to doing it once this shitstorm has subsided, even if it’s s split time between home and office.

We? Not all we.

[Mussels]

At first everyone thought WFH was great, no commuting etc, but there’s no separation between work and home. Humans are social creatures and we need the separation of work/home and we need to see other faces.

There is a reason that we used to congregate in offices to work and, on the whole, I think we’ll go back to doing it once this shitstorm has subsided, even if it’s s split time between home and office.

Are you the one person who voted 'I hate WFH'?